Health and Wellness

This is the webpage for the School Nurse at McDougle Elementary.

Valerie Minogue, School Nurse

919-969-2401 ext. 62090

vminogue@chccs.k12.nc.us

School Health is the link between health and learning. The role of the School Nurse is dedicated to improving the health and educational success of children through assessing the health needs of the school community and providing interventions that maximize student achievement. Key areas of assessment include reviewing existing health conditions and current immunization records. Individual Health Plans may be developed to keep students safe and healthy at school. Common health conditions that may need a Health Plan include: Asthma, Diabetes, Severe Food Allergies and Seizure Disorders. Medication use at school can also be managed and directed by the School Nurse. Screenings for Vision, Hearing and Dental Health may be coordinated through School Health according to state guidelines. In the event illness or injury, the School Nurse is available to provide and coordinate care and balance attendance needs with a safe return to school.

Measles

The United States is currently experiencing a large, multi-state outbreak of measles linked to initial cases from an amusement park in California. The majority of cases have been among people who are not vaccinated against measles.There are currently no cases in North Carolina.

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It starts with a fever, soon after, it causes a cough, runny nose, and red eyes. Then a rash of tiny, red spots breaks out. It starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body, it can be especially serious for young children.

Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, it is highly contagious. The virus can remain infectious on surfaces and in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. There is no specific antiviral therapy for measles. Medical care is supportive and to help relieve symptoms and address complications such as bacterial infections.

Measles can be prevented with measles-containing vaccine, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. One dose of MMR vaccine is approximately 93% effective at preventing measles; two doses are approximately 97% effective. CDC recommends routine childhood immunization for MMR vaccine starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age or at least 28 days following the first dose.

North Carolina requires 2 MMR vaccinations to attend school, however state law allows exemptions from immunizations for medical and religious reasons.Students who have not been immunized due to a medical or religious exemption will be excluded from school in the event of an outbreak until 21 days after the onset of rash in the last case of measles.

For measles, a vaccination rate of at least 95% is thought to be needed for effective herd immunity within the community. All CHCCS have an immunization rate above 97%.

www.cdc.gov

Ebola

Ebola is only contagious after the onset of symptoms. The incubation period before symptoms may appear is 2-21 days, with 8-10 days being the most common. Ebola is spread through unprotected contact with blood or body fluids from someone who is infected. Anyone who becomes ill within 21 days after traveling to an affected area in West Africa should contact a healthcare provider right away and limit their contact with others until they have been evaluated.

Ebola is spread through direct contact (through broken skin or through your eyes, nose, or mouth) with

Blood and body fluids (like urine, feces, saliva, vomit, sweat, and semen) of a person who is sick with Ebola.

Objects (like needles) that have been contaminated with the blood or body fluids of a person sick with Ebola.

Ebola is not spread through the air, water, or food.

There is no FDA-approved vaccine available for Ebola. Experimental vaccines and treatments for Ebola are under development, but they have not yet been fully tested for safety or effectiveness.

Symptoms of Ebola

Fever greater than 101.5°F (38.6°C)

Severe headache

Muscle pain

Weakness

Diarrhea

Vomiting

Abdominal pain

Unexplained bleeding or bruising

To protect yourself from Ebola

DO wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Do NOT touch the blood or body fluids (like urine, feces, saliva, vomit, sweat, and semen) of people who are sick.

Do NOT handle items that may have come in contact with a sick person’s blood or body fluids, like clothes, bedding, needles, or medical equipment.

Do NOT touch the body of someone who has died of Ebola.

For further information:

http://www.ncdhhs.gov/ebola/

http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/infographic.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/what-need-to-know-ebola.pdf

Enterovirus D68 (EV D68)

Since mid August, 2014 enterovirus D68 (EV D68) has been increasingly identified in association with respiratory illness across the country. Confirmed cases of EV D68 have been increasing through October, but currently there are no confirmed cases in Orange County. See below for recommendations on when your child should remain at home.

Enteroviruses are very common viruses. There are more than 100 types of enteroviruses. It is estimated that 10–15 million enterovirus infections occur in the United States each year. Most people infected with enteroviruses have no symptoms or only mild symptoms, but some infections can be serious. Most enterovirus infections in the United States occur seasonally during the summer and fall, and outbreaks of tend to occur in several-year cycles.There is no specific treatment for EV-D68 infections. Many infections will be mild and self-limited, requiring only symptomatic treatment. Those with asthma exacerbations or other more severe manifestations may require hospitalization for supportive therapy. Vaccines for preventing EV-D68 infections are not currently available.

Recommendations

To help reduce the risk of infection with EV-D68 and other respiratory viruses, the following is recommended:

1. Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds; 2. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands; 3. Cough into your elbow, not your hands.3. Avoid kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick; 4. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, especially if someone is sick5. Staff and children with respiratory illness should remain at home if they have excessive coughing or are not feeling well enough to participate in regular activities.6. Stay home when feeling sick, as per CHCCS Communicable Disease Policy ( Students with temperature of 100 degrees F. (oral) vomiting, or diarrhea will be excluded from school, and may not participate in school activities until symptom-free without medication for 24 hours).

SPECIAL NOTE: If your student has a diagnosis of asthma, make sure they have a current prescription for an inhaler, and that they carry their inhaler with them at all times. The school nurse should have a current Asthma Health Plan on file for your student as well.